


Smile

by perfectly_imperfect_9



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-14 06:05:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15382317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectly_imperfect_9/pseuds/perfectly_imperfect_9
Summary: This is about Mallory Cooper and how she fights her battles.





	1. Now or Never

I stared at the clock from my desk. It was so close. School was almost out. Just a couple more minutes and it will be over. 

Then my best friend Kylie handed me a slip of paper. On the front it said “Mallory”. I opened it up underneath my desk so that Mrs. Jones wouldn't see. Inside it said, “Vrakk jamin roon.” Our class had created a secret language to speak or write in when teachers or people from other classes were around. So, what the note said was, “Meet me outside after school.” I looked around, so that I could find out who wrote the note. I knew that the writer would be looking at me. Finally, I saw Jackson. I noticed him glance from the note, then back up to me. We made eye contact and his eyes read that he'd written the note. 

I guess this made sense in some way. Jackson and I were enemies. We were constantly fighting for a spot on the soccer team. We were both great players, but we were convinced that one of us was better. 

Rrriiiiiinnnggg

The bell finally rang. I walked out to the soccer field. Some how Jackson beat me there. 

“You showed up,” he said as I walked up. “I can't say I'm surprised. Everyone wants be near me.”

I couldn't help but smirk, because what he said was so ridiculous. “The only thing that wants to be near you are flies.” I countered. I knew that our trash talk was terrible, but we were only seventh graders. Why did it have to be good?

Jackson rolled his eyes. “I'm gonna win that spot on the soccer team.”

“Please,” I said. “I'm gonna beat you so bad that the flies won't even want to be near you anymore.”

Kylie, who was standing right behind me, smiled behind her retainers. 

“You can't,” Jackson said. “You're too small.”

Kylie's smile faded. I don't know why his comment made me so mad. Me and Jackson had been teasing each other about our sizes our whole lives. However, for some reason what he said made me so upset. I felt myself running at him. He seemed to realize what was happening right before I got to him. He threw his hands up right as my arms wrapped around his waist. I felt his arms under my stomach. He started spinning in circles. He lifted me up off the ground a few times. Then he spun two full circles without my feet touching the ground. Before my feet reached the ground again, he'd thrown me. Just as I got my head up, I noticed Jackson start to dive at me. I rolled just before he hit the ground. 

He tucked his legs underneath himself, and I jumped on his back. He let out a groan. Then he stood up, with me still on his back. He began to rock and spin. I grasped his hair in my fist and held on tight. Jackson leaned back words and I lost my grip. I fell, but I popped right back up, not giving him the advantage. I turned and jumped on him. It caught him off guard and he fell. I landed on top of him, and started wrestling with him. He was slapping at me, trying to get me off. I was slapping at him, trying to keep the advantage. He threw one punch and hit me square in the nose. Finally, Jackson got enough strength and rolled over. He was on top of me. He had the advantage. I looked up at him as I slapped at him. I noticed a couple of drops of blood on his face. I thought that was odd though, since he wasn't bleeding. 

Mrs. Jones had noticed us as she was loading children onto the bus. She came running over and pulled Jackson off of me. Then she helped me up and held us where we couldn't reach each other. I reached up to wipe my nose. When I brought my hand down it was covered in blood. 

Mrs. Jones handed me her handkerchief. I put it up to my nose and held it there. “What has gotten into you two?” She said. “I've never seen you two fight before. Whatever the problem is, I would prefer that you would have resolved it in a more appropriate manner. Now, resolve this fight by shaking hands.” 

She stepped back so that we could shake hands. We stared at each other for a minute. He started to turn away, but I stuck my hand out. He turned back towards me and looked at my hand. Finally, he grabbed it and shook. 

Mrs. Jones seemed satisfied and led us towards the bus. I climbed on and sat next to Kylie. Out the window I saw Jackson jump on his bike and ride away. I turned to Kylie, “Help,” I said. “Help me clean up this blood and cover up this bruise. My mom will die if she sees it.”


	2. Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to spoil it for you, so you've got to read to find out.

The bus stopped in front of my house and the doors opened. Kylie pulled my yellow sleeve down as I stood up. I realized that my bruise must have been showing. 

“Thanks.” I said to her. She just smiled behind her retainers. I smiled back at her, and then stepped off the bus. 

The bus pulled back onto the road. I could hear it driving away behind me. I took a deep breath and then took another step closer to my house. 

I opened the front door and stepped inside. I tried to make it to my room before my mom noticed I was home. 

I got my foot on the first stair when I heard, “Hi honey.”

Great. My mom had seen me. I turned around, nearly shaking with fear. “How was your day?” She asked. 

“Oh. Uh. It was fine.” I said. “We didn't really do much. I do have algebra homework though, so I'm going to go do that in my room.”

I turned around, and was about to head up the stairs again, but the sound of my mom's voice stopped me once again. 

“You look tired.” She said, looking me up and down. “Come do your homework in the kitchen and I'll fix you a snack.”

I followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the bar. I got out my homework and started on it while my mom fixed me up a snack. 

Once she'd finished, she put the plate in front of my notebook and sat down beside me.

I could feel her staring at me. I tapped my paper with my pencil. Then, right beneath where I'd been tapping my pencil, a drop of blood hit my paper. I put my pencil down on the paper and timidly reached up and touched the edge of my nose. Sure enough, it was bleeding again. 

I turned to look at my mom. She looked scared. She was sitting strait up and her eyes were wide. Suddenly, she grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into my dad's house office. 

“Look!” She said to my father. “Something must have happened. Mallory never bleeds randomly.” She turned back to face me. “Mallory,” she said slowly. “What happened at school? What did you not tell me?”

I didn't say anything. I just looked from my mom to my dad, and then back to my mom. 

“Mallory,” my dad said in a very stern voice. “Your mother asked you a question. What happened at school that you didn't tell her?”

“Nothing!” I said, frustrated. “Why do you just assume something happened because my nose started bleeding? People randomly start bleeding all the time! And what makes you think I never do? Huh? Have you ever thought that maybe I hide it from you because I know that you'll assume something? I bet you didn't.”

Both of my parents looked surprised by my outburst. I heard them whispering to each other, but I'd stopped paying attention. I was too upset. Then my dad picked me up by my shoulders. It startled me, but I didn't move. He set me on his desk and looked me up and down, intent on finding something else that proved that something happened at school. I stared at him as he searched. I could tell he was focused, because his gray hairs were more pronounced. 

Finally, he eyes settled on my sleeve. The one that was pulled down to cover the bruise on my right arm. My mom noticed it too. They looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation. Then, my dad grabbed my sleeve and pulled it up, revealing the big, blue, bruise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Sorry this chapter wasn't as long. I just hope you enjoyed it and are ready for chapter 3!


	3. Overreaction

This is just perfect. Absolutely perfect. My parents are the overprotective ones. 

“I'm fine,” I told them for the fourth time. “Honestly, you two are overreacting. I'm not in pain. Let it go.”

My parents weren't listening though. They ignored everything that I said. 

“What are you thinking Mary?” My dad asked my mom. 

“I don't know,” she replied, obviously still in shock. The was a long silence, then, “Hospital.” My mom said finally. 

My father was obviously as confused as I was. “Think about it Shawn.” My mom said. “Mallory won't say anything to us. Maybe the doctor could get something out of her.”

“Mary…” my dad began. After a pause, he said, “Actually, that's a good idea.”

Before I had time to process what they'd agreed on, we were getting into the car. Within minutes we'd made it to the hospital.

My parents walked strait down the halls without stopping. They walked strait to Dr. Harrison's office. He was sitting in there, sipping his coffee and staring at his computer. 

He looked up and saw us standing in the doorway. “Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. What brings you here today?” He asked. 

“Mallory here won't talk to us.” My dad said. “Something happened at school today and we were hoping you could get something out of her.”

“I'll give it a shot.” Dr. Harrison said. “However, I have to ask that you leave us alone.”

My parents both nodded and then left the room. Dr. Harrison then turned to face me. “If it's an awful story, I won't tell them.” He said. 

I smiled. I don't exactly know how or why what he said worked, but it did. I was telling him the whole story before I could stop myself. He just sat there and smiled the whole time. 

Once I'd finished, I was out of breath. I looked down at my bright blue high tops for a while. When I looked up, Dr. Harrison was staring intently at me. Like he was searching for something. In the same way that my father had when he was searching for proof that something had happened at school. 

“Mallory,” he said after a minute or two. “Go get your parents. I would like to speak to all of you.”

Slowly, I got up and walked outside to get my parents. As soon as we'd all stepped foot in the door, Dr. Harrison said, “How long has it been since Mallory saw a doctor?”

“Umm…” my mom said as she sat down. “I'm not sure. The beginning of June I believe.” 

My dad nodded and so did I. “Well, if you don't mind,” Dr. Harrison said. “I'd like to give her a check-up.”

“Uh. I guess so.” My dad said. 

I followed Dr. Harrison into a room and sat on the bed. Dr. Harrison quickly got to work on me. For some odd reason though, he kept coming back to look at my bruise. I looked down at it as well, but all I noticed was that it had gained the color purple. 

He looked up at me and said, “This bruise, when did you notice it?”

I didn't know how to answer his question. I honestly couldn't remember when I'd noticed it so I just said, “After the fight.”

Dr. Harrison nodded and began putting away his tools. I guessed that he'd gathered all of the information that he needed. 

We walked back into his office where my parents were waiting. There were anxious looks on both of their faces. After a minute he said, “I have noticed some questionable things with Mallory. Some things that I would like to figure out if are at all related to a canc—”

“I have cancer?” I said, interrupting him. The sound in my voice couldn't be perceived as anything other then fear, which in fact it was. I was now terrified. How could this be happening?

My parents both had the same shocked look on their faces. They were obviously as scared as me. 

“It is possible.” Dr. Harrison said. “That's why I would like to run some tests.”

My parents and I just sat there in his office, with shocked looks on their faces. I don't even know how to describe what I was feeling. I just sat in my seat, frozen.


End file.
